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Lap Quilts
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Lap Quilts

A collection of Ruth's recent lap quilts

The Fabric Collection

As a quiltmaker and artist, I love color and pattern. I’ve had my eye out for cotton fabrics. Some I got in stores and vendors in the USA, and some were found on the world-wide travels that my teaching career gave me. I’ve looked the ones essential for my artwork and odd ones that just intrigued me. Mostly I collected ½ yards or smaller pieces, and a few larger pieces for quilt backs.

In addition to fabric and quilt shops, I looked into furnishing fabrics and second hand stores. My students were very generous is sharing fabrics with me. Needless to say, 50 years in this business is a considerable period of time. My stash grew to fill a large closet and spill a bit over.

The Lap Quilts

AAs I began to think about downsizing for the over 75’s, I thought about my Fabric Collection. I really wanted to get a chance to see what I could make of that stash. Starting on small quilts for senior laps and shoulders, I decided on working on a 40”x60” size: Easy for me to handle, easy to machine piece on my Pfaff and to machine quilt on my Brother 1500. And, working with What-I-had, many of which were odd shapes and sizes, to simplify the piecing. I’d choose some fabrics to work with and cut the primary pieces into a few rectangles, and began the layout of a design with those rectangles on a 40x60 table.

Every “lap quilt” is exciting, since I usually start with a really interesting fabric. Some I remember fondly as a gift from a student, or a purchase I had made. Some fabrics I swear I had never seen before. Sometimes it was easy, sometimes tricky to find a group of fabrics that worked for me. If I ran out, just find something else to add. The rule is: You may not buy any more fabric. Which sometimes is a real challenge.

This has been a lifesaver during the Covid crisis. Up in the sewing room putting together fabrics and machine free motion quilting, I can forget about everything else!

The Lap Quilts are machine pieced and machine free motion quilted by me. They are cotton fabrics, maybe a tiny bit of linen. Cotton batting and cotton thread. Machine wash, cool, gentle agitation, spin dry, May be machine dried low heat or dry flat.

Click on each picture to enlarge image

Warm Hearts Lap Quilt Warm Hearts Lap Quilt
41" x 62" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Fruity Blues Lap Quilt Fruity Blues Lap Quilt
40" x 61" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Poppy Lap Quilt Poppy Lap Quilt
41" x 60" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Village Lap Quilt Village Lap Quilt
40.5" x 59" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Naiad Lap Quilt Naiad Lap Quilt
40" x 60" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

White Elephants Lap Quilt White Elephants Lap Quilt
40" x 60" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Seaside Lap Quilt Seaside Lap Quilt
38.5" x 58.5" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Gilt Edged Garden Lap Quilt Gilt Edged Garden Lap Quilt
39.5" x 59" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Butterscotch Lap Quilt Butterscotch Lap Quilt
41" x 58" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Zig Zag Reds Lap Quilt Zig Zag Reds Lap Quilt
39.5" x 61" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Shopping Spree Lap Quilt Shopping Spree Lap Quilt
39" x 60" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Six Swallows Lap Quilt Six Swallows Lap Quilt
40" x 58" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

The Meadow Lap Quilt The Meadow Lap Quilt
42" x 60.5" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Snowstorm Lap Quilt Snowstorm Lap Quilt
41.5 x 60" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Blue and White Lap Quilt Blue and White Lap Quilt
40.5" x 59.5" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

June Garden Lap Quilt June Garden Lap Quilt
40" x 59" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Bright Stripes Lap Quilt Bright Stripes Lap Quilt
41" x 59" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Ikat Leaves Lap Quilt Ikat Leaves Lap Quilt
39" x 59" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Showers Lap Quilt Showers Lap Quilt
39"x 60" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

The Watering Can Lap Quilt The Watering Can Lap Quilt
39" x 60" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Bali Butterfly Lap Quilt Bali Butterfly Lap Quilt
40" x 60" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Lavender Patch Lap Quilt Lavender Patch Lap Quilt
41" x 58" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Butterfly Lap Quilt Butterfly Lap Quilt
39" x 58" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Fish to Fowl Lap Quilt Fish to Fowl Lap Quilt
60" x 41" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Garlic and Onions Lap Quilt Garlic and Onions Lap Quilt
39" x 58" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Hibiscus Showers Lap Quilt Hibiscus Showers Lap Quilt
37.5" x 56" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Lavender Toile Lap Quilt Lavender Toile Lap Quilt
©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Liberated Ninepatch Lap Quilt Liberated Ninepatch Lap Quilt
41.5" x 56" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Flora Lap Quilt Flora Lap Quilt
38" x 58.5" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Garden Tiles Lap Quilt Garden Tiles Lap Quilt
38.5" x 59" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Sheepish Cherries Lap Quilt Sheepish Cherries Lap Quilt
38.5" x 55" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Toucan Seagull Lap Quilt Toucan Seagull Lap Quilt
38.5" x 58" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Citrus Lap Quilt Citrus Lap Quilt
39.5" x 58.5" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Tyger Lap Quilt Tyger Lap Quilt
39" x 55" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Feathers Lap Quilt Feathers Lap Quilt
39.5" x 54" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Blue Hawaii Lap Quilt Blue Hawaii Lap Quilt
46.5" x 39" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Patio Lap Quilt Patio Lap Quilt
43" x 56" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

The Bells of St. Clement's Lap Quilt The Bells of St. Clement's Lap Quilt
38" x 55.5" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Summer Picnic Lap Quilt Summer Picnic Lap Quilt
42.5" x 58" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Mekko Orange and Blue Lap Quilt Mekko Orange and Blue Lap Quilt
41" x 56" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Orchard Lap Quilt Orchard Lap Quilt
44.5" x 60" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Strawberry Shortcake Lap Quilt Strawberry Shortcake Lap Quilt
54" x 48" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

Autumn Fields Lap Quilt Autumn Fields Lap Quilt
38" x 57" ©2020
Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted, Cotton Fabrics, Cotton Batting

©2004 Ruth B. McDowell